Vegas Hotel Shopping: Robbery or a Steal? (pt 1)
It pains me to mention that the very undressed Britney Spears and Paris Hilton shop in Las Vegas.
Thankfully, shopping needs no defending. But I would note that the whole point of Las Vegas casino hotel shopping is to get properly outfitted before venturing out into the world.
If you know where to look, hotels have some of the hottest Las Vegas shopping deals: a Hooters tank top, Cirque du Soleil strappy blouse, or Binion’s Poker baby tee, depending on who you want to pick up or get picked up by. And go get some pleasant 
lingerie, too, in case those strip poker pictures find their way on some Internet sex tape or other.
Best of Las Vegas Hotel Shopping
Aladdin, Desert Passage. One of the best shopping complexes on the Las Vegas Strip, it is 475,000 sqft worth of over 170 specialty shops, from Betsey Johnson to Urban Outfitters, and 15 restaurants, like Godiva Chocolatier. You can take a pedicab tour of what is designed like ancient trade routes to the Arabian desert from the coast of Spain or northern Africa, complete with indoor rainstorm, acrobats, jugglers, and belly dancers. Open 10 am to 11 pm, or midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bally’s, Avenue Shoppes. Its over 20 shops and boutiques offer browsing options that aren’t the usual fashionista fare, including Las Vegas Harley Davidson, Le Grand Jewels, and Marshall Rousso. Open 9 am to 11 pm.
Bellagio, Via Bellagio. There are over 10 specialty shops here clearly not for the shopper who gets a natural high on scoring $5 CSI: Las Vegas t-shirts downtown. Choices include Chanel, Prada, Tiffany & Co., Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Hermés, Dior, and Yves Saint Laurent. Open 10 am to midnight.
Also: Bellagio’s Via Fiore has a Chihuly store (That’s famous Dale’s Fiori di Como sculpture of hand-blown glass flowers hanging from the lobby ceiling) and lobby shops include Judith Lieber, Guerlain, and the ‘O’ Theatre for Cirque du Soleil merch.
Caesars Palace, Appian Way. The smaller and quieter of two in this shopping heaven of a hotel, it is an Ancient Rome themed arcade with stores like Emperors Essentials and Colosseum Cigars meets the Celine Dion boutique and Elton John store meets Cartier and Paul & Shark Yachting. A lifesize replica of Michelangelo’s David will greet you at the entrance. Open 10 am to 11 pm.
Caesars Palace, The Forum Shops. Another of the grandest shopping emporiums on the Las Vegas Strip, it boasts over 160 specialty shops, from Agent Provocateur to Elie Tahari, and 13 restaurants, like Spago and Il Mulino. In between scouting and chowing, there are two free animatronic fountain shows and a 50,000 gallon saltwater aquarium. Oh, and keep an eye out for Britney Spears. Open 10 am to 11 pm, or midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.
Circus Circus. Walk off the calories you collected in Pink Pony and Circus Buffet at the 40,000 sqft shopping promenade with over 20 retail shops. Obviously themed stores like Nothing But Clowns or Houdini’s are mixed with the pocket-friendly likes of Market Express or Under $10.
Harrahs, Carnaval Court. This palm-fringed outdoor shopping plaza has a street fair atmosphere, with bartenders performing like the newly wed Mr. Katie Holmes in the movie Cocktails. Don’t pass by The Ghirardelli Chocolate Company without looking in.
Hilton, Star Trek: The Experience. Does this explain why Paris Hilton looks out of this world or what? The hotel where Elvis lived for close to a decade has some 10 specialty shops, like the Barry Manilow store, plus Trekkie-happy shops, like Zek’s Grand Emporium and Moogie’s Trading Post, to complete the intergalactic experience.
Stay tuned for more Las Vegas casino hotel shopping.
December 7th, 2006 at 1:43 am
[…] Aladdin, Bally’s, Bellagio, Caesars Palace, Circus Circus, Harrahs, Hilton. […]
December 14th, 2006 at 8:42 pm
[…] Often the result isn’t cheap, literally and figuratively, but an amusing kind of kitsch that offers some of the best Las Vegas shopping deals. In the same shopping trip, for example, you’ll find panties perfect for a honeymoon and for strip poker. Shoppers get to play dressup, and so do the shops. […]